Irregular hockey stick shaft and a method of fabrication thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to hockey stick shafts having cross-section and properties varying along a length thereof and to a method for fabrication thereof. The varying cross section defines selected regions of optimized grip for the hands of a player and of optimized rigidity and resistance in torsion of the shaft.

1. A hockey stick shaft having at least two regions along a length thereof of non-rectangular polygon cross sections that are linearly inverted by 180 degrees from a front face to a back face of the shaft, along the length thereof, one relative to the other, wherein the cross section is varied along a length of at least one of said faces with a constant circumference and thickness of walls of the shaft all along the length thereof. 
   
   
     2. The hockey stick shaft as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the cross sections are one of i): symmetric polygon cross sections and ii) asymmetric polygon cross sections. 
   
   
     3. The hockey stick shaft as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one region has a polygon cross section with one of a left and a right orientation. 
   
   
     4. The hockey stick shaft as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one region has an irregular cross section. 
   
   
     5. The hockey stick shaft as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one region has a cross section that is linearly inverted from a front face to a back face of the shaft. 
   
   
     6. The hockey stick shaft as recited in  claim 1 , said shaft having a proximate end portion, a central portion and a tapering distal end portion with a blade mounting part, said proximate end portion having a first polygon cross section, and a region between said central portion and said distal end portion having a second cross section rotated by 180 degrees in relation to the first cross section. 
   
   
     7. The hockey stick shaft as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising reinforcements selected in the group consisting of longitudinally oriented high tensile strength wires and fibers, on at least one part of at least one plane surface thereof. 
   
   
     8. The hockey stick shaft as recited in  claim 7 , said reinforcements being provided in opposite surfaces of the shaft. 
   
   
     9. A method for fabricating a hockey stick shaft comprising the step of providing at least two regions along a first and a second lengths thereof with non-rectangular polygon cross sections that are linearly inverted by 180 degrees from a front face to a back face of the shaft, along the length thereof, one relative to the other, wherein the cross section is varied along a length of at least one of said faces, according to specific forces applied on the at least two regions, with a constant circumference and thickness of walls of the shaft all along the length thereof. 
   
   
     10. The method according to  claim 9 , comprising providing at least one face of the shaft with a first polygon cross section over at least part of a proximate end portion and a central portion thereof. 
   
   
     11. The method according to  claim 9 , comprising the step of varying a cross section along a length of the at least one face. 
   
   
     12. The method according to  claim 9 , comprising the step of linearly inverting at least one cross-section from a front face to a back face of the shaft. 
   
   
     13. The method according to  claim 10 , comprising providing at least one face of the shaft in the proximate end portion and in the central portion with a first polygon cross section over at least part of a length thereof and a second cross section rotated by 180 degrees in relation to the first cross section in the proximate end portion. 
   
   
     14. The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising the step of inserting reinforcements selected in the group consisting of longitudinally oriented high tensile strength wires and fibers, on at least parts of walls of at least one face thereof. 
   
   
     15. The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising the step of inserting reinforcements selected in the group consisting of longitudinally oriented high tensile strength wires and fibers, on at least parts of walls of opposite faces of the shaft. 
   
   
     16. The hockey stick shaft as recited in  claim 1 , comprising a first polygon cross section in a first half part of the length of the shaft from a proximate end portion thereof, and a second polygon cross section in a second half part of the length of the shaft from the proximate end portion thereof, said second polygon cross section being inverted by 180 degrees relative to said first polygon cross section, providing a cross-over region, between said first and second polygon cross sections, of increased moment of inertia and increased stiffness. 
   
   
     17. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said step of providing at least two regions comprises providing a first polygon cross section in a first half part of the length of the shaft from a proximate end portion, and providing a second polygon cross section inverted by 180 degrees relative to the first polygon cross section in a second half part of the length of the shaft from the proximate end portion, thereby providing a cross-over region, between the first and second polygon cross sections, of increased moment of inertia and increased stiffness.